Package construction and method for forming a strip of individual impregnated tissues into containers

ABSTRACT

A device for forming a package of impregnated tissues from a continuous roll of a lightweight fiber material such as a tissue comprises means for feeding the tissue for slitting longitudinally into one or more lengths of tissue and then for perforating the lengths at definite fixed intervals across the width thereof. The perforated lengths are separated and fed separately through folding gauges where they are parted with one or more folds and one or more of these lengths are fed simultaneously into a bath for impregnating the tissue with a liquid substance such as a face cleaning solvent of a type which is incorporated in the known wash tissues. The impregnated tissues are then fed continuously and directly into guide tubes and thereafter transferred directly into packing containers into which they are stuffed. The stuffing mechanism comprises an arrangement for feeding the respective continuous lengths of the impregnated tissue into a stuffing container to accumulate a compacted pile and thereafter transferring the pile into a packing container. The pile is formed and compacted merely by feeding the tissue at high speed into the stuffing container in which the tissues become packed.

United States Patent 1 91 Gerstein [451 Apr. 23, 1974 [76] Inventor:

David E. Gerstein, 63-33 98th PL, Forest Hills, N.Y. l 1374 22 Filed:Dec. 23, 1971 21 Appl. No.: 211,334

[52] US. Cl.....- 53/21 FC, 53/21 FW, 53/1 17 [51,] Int. Cl. B65b 63/04-[58] Field of Search 53/21 FC, 21 FW, 21 R, 53/36, 116, I17

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 10/1964 WitschiQ ..53/ll6X10/1967 Reveley ..s3/211=cx Primary Examiner-Travis S. McGehee 57ABSTRACT A device for forming'a package of impregnated tissues from acontinuous roll of a lightweight fiber material such as a tissuecomprises means for feeding the tissue for slitting longitudinally intoone or more lengths of tissue and then for perforating the lengths atdefinite fixed intervals across the width thereof. The perforatedlengths are separated and fed separately through folding gauges wherethey are parted with one or more folds and one or more of these lengthsare fed simultaneously into a bath for impregnating the tissue with aliquid substance such as a face cleaning solvent of a type which isincorporated in the known wash tissues. The impregnated tissues are thenfed continuously and directly into guide tubes and thereaftertransferred directly into packing containers into which they arestuffed. The stuffing mechanism comprises an arrangement for feeding therespective continuous lengths of the impregnated tissue into a stuffingcontainer to accumulate a compacted pile and thereafter transferring thepile into a packing container. The pile is formed and compacted merelyby feeding the tissue' at high speed into the stuffing container'inwhich the tissues become packed.

18 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures PATENTED APR 2 31974 SHEEI 1 BF 4 MTENTEMPR23 97:.-

SHEET 2 BF 4 PACKAGE CONSTRUCTION AND METHOD FOR FORMING A STRIP OFINDIVIDUAL IMPREGNATED TISSUES INTO CONTAINERS BACKGROUND OF THEINVENTION FIELD OF THE INVENTION This invention relates in general tothe construction of devices for forming useful paper products and, inparticular, to a new and useful device and method for forming a packageof a continuous strip of individual tissue elements which are separatedby score lines and impregnated with a treatment liquid and to a packageof such material.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART At the present time it is known to formfibrous material or tissue paper into individual lengths which areimpregnated with a liquid material so that the length of tissue may bepacked in a tightly sealed container for subsequent opening so that thetissue may be used as a wash cloth. A disadvantage of such aconstruction is the high cost of manufacture of the individualimpregnated tissues and thediffic ulty of removing them from theindividually wrapped packages when they are to be used. It is highlydesirable that tissues of this nature be arranged in a tightly sealedcontainer in .a manner such that they can be removed one after the otherwithout having to first tear open individual packages in which they arewrapped. One of the reasons why this has not been possible heretofore isthat there is no way of both impregnating the tissue and for feeding itinto a package such that they may be dispensed, for example, one afterthe other when they are to be used.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In accordance with the present invention, thereis provided a method and device for forming continuous lengths ofseparable tissue elements which are impregnated with a liquid material(e.g. a soap, an antiseptic, a dentifrice, etc.) and which are packagedin a container such that they can be drawn out one after the other foruse. With the inventive arrangement, the individual tissue elements areformed by feeding a continu- 0115 web of a fibrous material such aslightweight tissue paper first into association with slitter meansfordividing .the length into several longitudinally extending widths eachof which are perforated at regular. spaced intervals in order todemarcate the individual tissues along the length of the widths whichare fed. Each indi vidual width is advantageously fed either directlyinto a bath in which they are impregnated with a liquid for facilitatingtheir use e.g., as a wash cloth hand cleaner, tooth cleaner, etc. Theymay be fed first to folding means for folding them continuously as theyare ad vanced in a longitudinal direction when folding is desired. Eachcontinuous length is advanced beyond the impregnation bath and fedthrough guide tubes into individual packages in which they are stuffedso that they become packed. Since the individual tissues are stillinterconnected by their perforations they may be withdrawn from thecontainer one after the other and separated along the line ofperforations.

Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to provide an improvedmethod and apparatus for forming individual interconnected lengths oftissues which are packed in an individual container.

A further object of the invention isto provide an apparatus in the formof a rotary receptacle unit having a plurality of angularly spacedtemporary receptacle elements into which a continuous length ofinterconnected tissues are fed and temporarily packed for subsequenttransfer into individual containers which are fed along on a connectingconveyor.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device for packingcontinuous lengths of individual tissues which are separated byperforation lines into con tainers after they have been impregnated witha liquid and which is simple in design, rugged in construction, andeconomical to manufacture.

The various features of novelty which characterize the invention arepointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming apart of this disclosure. For a better understanding of the invention,its operating advantages and specific objects attained by its uses,reference should be had to the accompanying drawing and descriptivematter in which there is illustrated a preferred embodiment of theinvention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. 3 is a partial top plan view ofthe individual webs which are fed to the folding gauges;

FIG. 4 is a partial elevational and partial sectional view of a rotaryreceptacle unit for receiving the impregnated tissues prior to packingthem into containers; and

FIG. 5 is a partial sectional view of a packing station in which theindividual containers are filled with the impregnated tissue.

GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring to the drawingin particular, the invention embodied therein comprises, an apparatusfor forming packages containing a continuous strip of interconnectedtissues which are separated by perforation lines and which includesmeans for feeding a continuous web of fibrous material or tissue from acontinuous reel 10 around a dancer roller 12 and a dancer roller 14 andover a guide roller 16 into association with slitter means 18. Theslitter means 18 includes an upper series of one or more slitter rolls20 which engage the web 22 and forms it into two or more separatelongitudinally extending webs by slitting along longitudinal slit lines21, and forms, in this instance, two longitudinal webs 24 and 26. Thewebs 24 and 26 are fed into association with perforation means,generally designated 28, which forms a line of perforations across thewebs 24 and 26 at definite spaced intervals in order to form individualinterconnected tissues which may be severed at the time of use from theremaining continuous webs 24 and 26.

After the webs 24 and 26 are perforated and formed into individualinterconnected tissues which are separated by transversely extendinglines of perforations, they are fed through folding gauges 25 and 27 tofold them into smaller widths of continuously interconnected tissues 30and 32. The interconnected tissues 30 and 32 are fed over a guide roller34, a dancer roller 36, a dancer roller 40 and into a festoon or liquidapplicator trough 42 in which they are treated to form them into handtissues for use for such diverse things as face towels, shoe polishers,denture cleaners, etc., in accordance with the liquid treatment given.

The continuous tissue lengths 30 and 32 pass under submerged guiderollers 44 and 48 arranged at respective ends of the trough 42 and moveupwardly over a dancing roller 50 after they have been impregnated witha liquid, for example, of a type which permits the device to be used asa washing tissue or cloth.

In some instances, a second treatment of the tissue is desirable, inwhich case, the tissue is again fed into a trough 52 containing atreatment liquid and guided under rollers 54 and 56 which are submergedat respective opposite ends of the trough 52 and then move outwardlybetween press rollers 58 and 60 for further feeding between stuffingrollers or nip rollers 62 and 64. The nip rollers 62 and 64 are urgedtogether by springs 59 which are engaged around the respective niproller shafts 62a and 64a at a plurality of locations along the lengthsof these shafts.

In accordance with the feature of the invention, the stuffing rollers 62and 64 are arranged in sets directly at a plurality of stuffing stationson a rotary receptacle unit, generally designated 66, which includes aplurality of holders 68 for stuffing containers 70 and 72 for therespective tissues 30 and 32. The nip rollers 62 and 64 discharge thetissues at a speed and direction such that they continuously fill intothe stuffing containers 70 and 72 which also provide guides and gaugesfor estimating a full package quantity of the tissues to be packed. Thisis accomplished at a station, generally designated 74, which is locateddirectly at the discharge of the press rollers 58 and 60. After a givencharge of tissue is loaded in the containers 70 and 72, the tissues arecut away from the remaining webs 30 and 32 by the stopping of the pressrollers 58 and 60 and the continued feeding of the nip rollers 62 and64. The cut away webs 30 and 32 are guided down an inclined surface 71of a guide plate 73 located between the press rollers 58 and 60 and thenip rollers 62 and 64 for the next feed cycle. The rotation is carriedout until the filled containers 70 and 72 become oriented at a station,generally designated 78, in which the containers with their closedbottoms 80 are oriented over a conveyor, generally designated 79.

The stuffing containers 70 and 72 shown in FIG. include bottoms 80formed of bottom flaps 80a and 80b which are folded upwardly to form atemporary closure of the containers 70 and 72 during the time at whichthey are stuffed. These bottom flaps 80a and 8017 are forced open bysquared stuffing members 82 and 84 which are carried on a rod 86 whichis moved by actuating a fluid pressure cylinder 88. The stuffing members82 move between the nip rollers 62 and 64 after they are first separatedby the movement of a wedge member 87 which is shifted by a piston rod 89associated with a piston movable in a control cylinder 91. Once thefluid pressure is supplied to the cylinder 88, the rod 86 is moveddownwardly with the stuffing members 82 and 84 to move them between theseparated rollers 62 and 64 and into the stuffing containers and 72 toforce the packed lengths of tissue 90 and 92 downwardly into receivingcontainers 94 and 96 which are oriented in receiving guides 100 definedat fixed lengths along the conveyor belt 102 of the conveyor 79. Thefilled containers 94 and 96 are then moved into association with meansfor applying a seal 104 and then for applying a closure cap 106.

It should be appreciated that in the embodiment shown, the containers 94and 96 are shown as being simple shallow depth plastic containers 94having a flat seal 104 thereover. It should be appreciated, however,that the container may, for example, comprise a container of a typehaving a slotted opening at the top through which the uppermost tissueextends and which, for example, could have tearing means associatedtherewith to permit pulling out of one tissue and tearing off of thistissue at a location which would still leave enough of the next tissueprojecting to permit it to be engaged for removal after the first hasbeen used.

While a specific embodiment of the invention has been shown anddescribed in detail to illustrate the application of the principles ofthe invention, it will be understood that the invention may be embodiedotherwise without departing from such principles.

What is claimed is:

l. A method of forming packages with a continuous strip of separateliquid impregnated tissues which are separated from each other byperforations, comprising feeding a continuous web of lightweightmaterial such as a tissue through a continuous feed path, perforatingthe web to form perforation lines extending thereacross at spacedlocations along the length thereof and to form individual separabletissues between the perforations, directing the tissues interconnectedby perforation linesinto a treatment bath, moving the treated tissuesout of the treatment bath while they are still interconnected by theperforations, and feeding the web of connected treated tissues into astuffing container whereby said web is folded as it is fed into saidstuffing container and wherein said web of connected tissues are fedinto a stuffing container to accumulate a quantity of said connectedtissues equivalent to the amount adapted to be packed in a packingcontainer, severing the web of accumulated tissues from the remaininglength of said web of tissues, and forcing the accumulated tissues fromthe stuffing container and into a packing container disposed adjacentthereto.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein the continuous web of tissueis first slit longitudinally to form it into a plurality of individuallengths of interconnected tissue members.

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein the continuous length oftissue is folded as it is fed longitudinally.

4. An apparatus for stuffing tissue into containers comprising astufi'mg container having a bottom with a closable flap, movable betweena closed and opened position, tissue feed means for directing acontinuous length of interconnected tissues separated by perforationsinto said stuffing container, and stuffing means located adjacent saidstuffing container and being movable through said stuffing container toforce the accumulated tissues in said stuffing container to open saidbottom flap, whereby said accumulated tissues are adapted to betransferred to a packing container, said stuffing means being movable todirect the material of said stuffing container through the opening whensaid bottom flap is open and into said packing container.

5. An apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said tissue feed meansincludes a pair of rotatable press rollers at a spaced location fromsaid stuffing container and a pair of rotatable stuffing rollersadjacent said press rollers, the tissue being fed between said pressrollers and said stuffing rollers, said press rollers being stopable tocause the severance of the tissue from the remaining length by thecontinued rotation of said stuffing rollers.

6. An apparatus according to claim 5, including means biasing saidstuffing rollers together, means for temporarily separating saidstuffing rollers, and wherein said stuffing means comprises a membermovable between said stuffing rollers when they are separated to enterinto said stuffing container.

7. An apparatus according to claim 4, including a conveyor, a pluralityof packing containers carried on said conveyor movable through a pathunderlying said stuffing container for positioning a packing containerbelow said stuffing container.

8. An apparatus according to claim 4, including a plurality of stuffingcontainers arranged in a row, said tissue feed means directing aplurality of separate lengths of continuous tissues interconnected byperforation lines into association with corresponding one of saidstuffing containers, said stuffing means overlying all of said stuffingcontainers and being movable through a path to move through saidstuffing containers to open the bottom flaps thereof and to force themate rial stuffed into said stuffing containers downwardly to transfersaid accumulated tissues in said stuffing container into packingcontainers.

9. An apparatus according to claim .4, including web feed means forcontinuously feeding a length of web material, means for slitting thelength into a plurality of lengths of web material, and means forperforating the plurality of lengths to form individual interconnectedtissues, said interconnected tissues being fed by said tissue feed meansinto said stuffing container.

10. An apparatus according to claim 4, including means for immersingsaid length of tissues into a treatment bath before it is directed intosaid stuffing container.

11. An apparatus for impregnating and packing a length of web ofconnected individual tissues, comprising means for feeding a'continuousweb of fibrous material through a feed path, means for perforating'saidfibrous material across the width thereof to form the fibrous materialinto individual tissues interconnected by perforation lines, liquidtreating means disposed along said feed path adapted to contain a bathof treating liquid, means for guiding said web of connected tissuesthrough said treating liquid, at least one stuffing box, said stuffingbox having a bottom which is closable for filling the stuffing box andwhich is openable to permit the filled material to pass therethroughinto a packing box, means for continuously feeding the interconnectedtissues into said stuffing box, and means to push the material which isstuffed into said stuffing box through the bottom and into a packingbox.

12. An apparatus according to claim 11, including means for sealing saidpacking box.

13. An apparatus according to claim 11, including slitter means locatedalong said feed path for slitting said web into a plurality ofindividual lengths of interconnected tissues separated by perforationlines.

14. An apparatus according to claim 13, including folding means locatedin said feed path for folding the tissues as it is fed.

15. An apparatus according to claim 11, wherein said liquid treatingmeans includes a plurality of liquid treatment troughs comprising saidliquid treatment means and means for guiding said interconnected tissuessuccessively through said treatment troughs.

16. An apparatus according to claim 11, including a rotary receptacleunit, said unit having a plurality of angularly spaced stations, eachstation including at least one stuffing box, said rotary unit beingoriented to present each station successively into association with saidfeed path to position said stuffing boxes in a position to receive thetissue which is fed.

17. An apparatus according to claim 15, including stuffing roller meansfor feeding said continuous length of interconnected tissues into saidstuffing boxes carried by said rotary receptacle unit.

18. An apparatus according to claim 17, including a conveyor extendingadjacent to said rotary unit and being centrally positioned in respectto said unit, said stuffing containers'being located around theperiphery of said unit and being selectively alignable over saidconveyor, said conveyor having means .for carrying packing containersthereon for successively positioning said packing containers directlybelow said stuffing container.

1. A method of forming packages with a continuous strip of separateliquid impregnated tissues which are separated from each other byperforations, comprising feeding a continuous web of lightweightmaterial such as a tissue through a continuous feed path, perforatingthe web to form perforation lines extending thereacross at spacedlocations along the length thereof and to form individual separabletissues between the perforations, directing the tissues interconnectedby perforation lines into a treatment bath, moving the treated tissuesout of the treatment bath while they are still interconnected by theperforations, and feeding the web of connected treated tissues into astuffing container whereby said web is folded as it is fed into saidstuffing container and wherein said web of connected tissues are fedinto a stuffing container to accumulate a quantity of said connectedtissues equivalent to the amount adapted to be packed in a packingcontainer, severing the web of accumulated tissues from the remaininglength of said web of tissues, and forcing the accumulated tissues fromthe stuffing container and into a packing container disposed adjacentthereto.
 2. A method according to claim 1, wherein the continuous web oftissue is first slit longitudinally to form it into a plurality ofindividual lengths of interconnected tissue members.
 3. A methodaccording to claim 1, wherein the continuous length of tissue is foldedas it is fed longitudinally.
 4. An apparatus for stuffing tissue intocontainers comprising a stuffing container having a bottom with aclosable flap, movable between a closed and opened position, tissue feedmeans for directing a continuous length of interconnected tissuesseparated by perforations into said stuffing container, and stuffingmeans located adjacent said stuffing container and being movable throughsaid stuffing container to force the accumulated tissues in saidstuffing container to open said bottom flap, whereby said accumulatedtissues are adapted to be transferred to a packing container, saidstuffing means being movable to direct the material of said stuffingcontainer through the opening when said bottom flap is open and intosaid packing container.
 5. An apparatus according to claim 4, whereinsaid tissue feed means includes a pair of rotatable press rollers at aspaced location from said stuffing container and a pair of rotatablestuffing rollers adjacent said press rollers, the tissue being fedbetween said press rollers and said stuffing rollers, said press rollersbeing stopable to cause the severance of the tissue from the remaininglength by the continued rotation of said stuffing rollers.
 6. Anapparatus according to claim 5, including means biasing said stuffingrollers together, means for temporarily separating said stuffingrollers, and wherein said stuffing means comprises a member movablebetween said stuffing rollers when they are separated to enter into saidstuffing container.
 7. An apparatus according to claim 4, including aconveyor, a plurality of packing containers carried on said conveyormovable through a path underlying said stuffing container forpositioning a packing container below said stuFfing container.
 8. Anapparatus according to claim 4, including a plurality of stuffingcontainers arranged in a row, said tissue feed means directing aplurality of separate lengths of continuous tissues interconnected byperforation lines into association with corresponding one of saidstuffing containers, said stuffing means overlying all of said stuffingcontainers and being movable through a path to move through saidstuffing containers to open the bottom flaps thereof and to force thematerial stuffed into said stuffing containers downwardly to transfersaid accumulated tissues in said stuffing container into packingcontainers.
 9. An apparatus according to claim 4, including web feedmeans for continuously feeding a length of web material, means forslitting the length into a plurality of lengths of web material, andmeans for perforating the plurality of lengths to form individualinterconnected tissues, said interconnected tissues being fed by saidtissue feed means into said stuffing container.
 10. An apparatusaccording to claim 4, including means for immersing said length oftissues into a treatment bath before it is directed into said stuffingcontainer.
 11. An apparatus for impregnating and packing a length of webof connected individual tissues, comprising means for feeding acontinuous web of fibrous material through a feed path, means forperforating said fibrous material across the width thereof to form thefibrous material into individual tissues interconnected by perforationlines, liquid treating means disposed along said feed path adapted tocontain a bath of treating liquid, means for guiding said web ofconnected tissues through said treating liquid, at least one stuffingbox, said stuffing box having a bottom which is closable for filling thestuffing box and which is openable to permit the filled material to passtherethrough into a packing box, means for continuously feeding theinterconnected tissues into said stuffing box, and means to push thematerial which is stuffed into said stuffing box through the bottom andinto a packing box.
 12. An apparatus according to claim 11, includingmeans for sealing said packing box.
 13. An apparatus according to claim11, including slitter means located along said feed path for slittingsaid web into a plurality of individual lengths of interconnectedtissues separated by perforation lines.
 14. An apparatus according toclaim 13, including folding means located in said feed path for foldingthe tissues as it is fed.
 15. An apparatus according to claim 11,wherein said liquid treating means includes a plurality of liquidtreatment troughs comprising said liquid treatment means and means forguiding said interconnected tissues successively through said treatmenttroughs.
 16. An apparatus according to claim 11, including a rotaryreceptacle unit, said unit having a plurality of angularly spacedstations, each station including at least one stuffing box, said rotaryunit being oriented to present each station successively intoassociation with said feed path to position said stuffing boxes in aposition to receive the tissue which is fed.
 17. An apparatus accordingto claim 15, including stuffing roller means for feeding said continuouslength of interconnected tissues into said stuffing boxes carried bysaid rotary receptacle unit.
 18. An apparatus according to claim 17,including a conveyor extending adjacent to said rotary unit and beingcentrally positioned in respect to said unit, said stuffing containersbeing located around the periphery of said unit and being selectivelyalignable over said conveyor, said conveyor having means for carryingpacking containers thereon for successively positioning said packingcontainers directly below said stuffing container.